The Henry Ford and House Industries

Molded Plywood Lounge Chair, 1942-1962

Lounge chair

Eames Upholstered Chair, 1970-1985

Side chair

Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Introduced in 1956

Armchair

Charles Eames, co-designer of this chair, felt it had "a sort of ugliness" about it--although he conceded that "it has apparently given a lot of pleasure to people." In production since 1956, it is one of the most recognizable pieces of 20th Century furniture--a design that meshes elemental luxury with the finely honed simplicity of Charles and Ray Eames' best work.

Schwinn Sting-Ray Lemon Peeler Bicycle, 1970

Bicycle

After noticing kids in southern California who customized their bicycles with "longhorn" handlebars and "banana" seats, Schwinn introduced its Sting-Ray line in 1963. The sporty bikes were a smash, selling two million copies by 1968. Drag racing funny cars inspired this 1970 Lemon Peeler Sting-Ray with its small front tire, front drum brake, springer suspension fork, and five-speed stick shift.

"Textiles & Objects" Banner, Designed by Alexander Girard, 1961

Banner

In 1961, Herman Miller opened the avant-garde "Textiles and Objects Shop" in New York City. Designer Alexander Girard conceived of the idea, designed the shop, and stocked it with textiles, furniture, handcrafted objects, and even folk art from around the world. This iconic banner -- with screen printed text on Girard's "April" textile -- hung in the storefront window.

NeXTcube Computer System, 1990-1993

Computer

Xerox Photocopying Machine, Model 2600, circa 1980

Photocopying machine

Macintosh 512K Personal Computer, Model M0001W, 1985

Microcomputer

In 1984, the Apple Macintosh became the first popular personal computer to feature the now-ubiquitous mouse and "graphical user interface" desktop. Despite the Mac's relatively high price, its user-friendly features helped it demystify computing for many people without a technical bent. This computer is a Macintosh 512k, released in 1985 with increased memory.

Tray of Wood Type, circa 1840

Type (Composition equipment)

Apple 1 Computer, 1976

Computer

This is one of the first 50 Apple 1 computers. Apple 1s were the first pre-assembled personal computers; Steve Wozniak assembled this one in Steve Jobs's family home. Before the release of the Apple 1, owning a personal computer meant building it yourself. Wozniak's refined engineering skills, coupled with Jobs's bold marketing abilities, led to a revolutionary and affordable product--as well as a successful company.